N.B. Austin

Author of the Civilands Series

Recommendations

Book Review: 1984 by George Orwell

*WARNING: This Review of 1984 Contains Spoilers*

There are two things I want to know more than anything after reading George Orwell’s 1984:

1. what would O’Brien have said to Winston if his answer to “do you believe in God, Winston?” was “yes.”

2. How does Orwell envision who Winston was prior, that led to the enslavement he finds himself in at the start of the book.

What I Liked

The book accurately identifies societal degeneration starts with a lack of truth. Deep down, that is what makes the world built in this book relatable and timeless, much more than the technology or the nature of global conflict. In a lot of ways it reads just as much as a philosophical musing as it does a fictional tale and there are some profound moments, to be sure.

On the side of action, the interrogation and its leadup keep your attention more than the rest of the story. The tension is significant.

What I Didn’t Like

One thing I struggled with was the conflict between the musing and the plot. Much of the story, especially in part 1 and 2, was very drawn out with description. Entire relevant conversations and events are described, rather than experienced.

This book is certainly a tragedy and its lead, Winston, is a tragic character. I can hardly call him a protagonist because he isn’t a good person. In a way, he almost seems to me like the antagonist, with the protagonist being the person he COULD be, if only he had more conviction. That isn’t who he is though at the beginning or the end. And all of that is fine if that is the point. However, it’s hard to tell how much of Winston is meant to be victim versus miserable wretch.

In Conclusion

I would be curious to know whether this book represents Orwell’s opinion of the fate/position of all human beings (a boot on the neck), or if it’s just meant as a tragic tale of a particularly immoral man. If it’s the former I profoundly resent and disagree with the hopelessness of it. If the latter, which I think is probably more likely the case, it still feels hopeless but is a pretty good case study on degeneracy, with great world building. On Goodreads I gave it 3 stars, since I was left so torn.

Book Review: Logos Rising by E. Michael Jones

Logos Rising Book Review

“Logos is always rising, no matter how it seems at any particular moment in time.”

Those who use their extraordinarily concentrated wealth/influence to curate today’s prevailing, mainstream culture would have you believe these are the words of a hateful man.

Two years ago, I discovered this same man on YouTube. At that point in my life, I didn’t realize there existed a logical way to approach the existence of God. Whether I wasn’t exposed to it at all or I had been and I wasn’t open to it, I’m still pondering to this day. But the novel Logos Rising: A History of Ultimate Reality summarizes the key points I learned from Dr. Jones at that time and much MUCH more. To summarize in a phrase: “that which is cannot come from that which is not, nor can that which is bring itself into existence because it would have to exist before it existed.” It also explains in exceptional detail the personal factors which led key figures in history to attempt to suppress the cultural influence of religion, metaphysics, and the natural law (logos).

Logos Rising is above all else a history book.

In my opinion, it is one that should be required reading on the subject of history. It certainly will be in the case of my children. Besides the immense educational value though, the way Dr. Jones tracks the concept of logos through history is empowering. It helps to assign true meaning to each time period and goes beyond the simply informational nature of most history books. And the importance of this empowerment at this point in history also cannot be understated, specifically for its message to my generation in particular.

“Logos is now rising among the most sexually confused generation in human history, in what Hegel would refer to as the cunning of reason, because chaos creates a need for logos…”

As mentioned, I am the generation Dr. Jones refers to in this passage. It is possible he even wrote this with young men like myself in mind. I am not alone in having proudly reported my progress on the subject in comment messages. Two years ago my life changed forever with the rising of logos. Shortly after addressing the “chaos” he refers to in my own life, I met the love of my life. Not a week before finishing this book I proposed to her and we are now happily engaged to be married. As Dr. Jones says: logos truly is rising.

To conclude

Dr. Jones helped me find God and played a key role in shining the light on how to attain a good, ordered life. At the same time, his various works have been banned by Amazon, YouTube, and the virtual reality that is social media. Taking those things together, the conflict of logos and anti-logos should be perfectly clear. I highly recommend you buy this book at Fidelity Press to grasp the full scope of this struggle from the beginning of everything to our current time.

Wilder, Freer Adventures: My New Book Giveaway Club

Longing for Exciting, Adventurous Reads? Want to Earn Every Book I Release for Free While Also Increasing Your Chances to Win a Bi-Monthly Best-Seller Giveaway Sweepstakes?

Yes, you read that right. Every other month I’ll be giving away paperback copies of both Crescent Heart (Civilands #3) AND a recommended best-seller, which I too will be reading with you and discussing as part of a new podcast.

This month’s best-seller giveaway (winner announced April 15th):
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott LynchFree Book Giveaways

So how do I sign up? Anyone interested can join here!

And how can I increase my chances to win? Those who sign up for my email list will be part of a points system. Points will serve as raffle entries for the sweepstakes. You can also earn ALL of my books in e-book for free, by reaching specific milestones. Points can be accumulated in two ways once you sign up:

  1. Social media shares (1 point)
  2. Getting others to sign up using your own, custom share link (4 points)

What if I have a request for the next giveaway book? Great! Tell me about it in the poll below!

So I hope you’ll join me in a new club where we’ll to dive into some exciting new reads. If you do, just remember one thing: ABR (Always Be Reviewing)!

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QOTD: Have you read The Lies of Locke Lamora? If so, what did you think? Also, whether you have or haven’t, please let me know any recommendations/requests you might have in the poll above!

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

My February Top 3 Medium Post Recommendations

Have you seen enough articles on Medium about “how to increase your productivity in under ten seconds and never procrastinate again for the rest of your life?” Looking for some original, creative shorts or daily life stories that are as honest as they are entertaining? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

The following are the most thought-provoking pieces I’ve had the pleasure of tearing through in the past month or so. For each, I’ve included a summary of what I loved, but feel free to follow the links and see for yourself how they can challenge a reader in different ways.

1. Testimony Case #1102138–13 by Alanah Andrews

This one wins it for originality and is something I haven’t seem much of at all: a reader-interactive short. Not only does Alanah world-build effectively in the span of a short-story, she inserts you into her new world by putting the life of the main character in your hands.

For more on the concept, here’s the opening excerpt:

Charge: Murder in the first degree

Juror Instructions:

1) Download the free Universal Juror app or sign in on the website.

2) Consider the following testimony carefully before making your decision.

3) Upon conclusion of reading this statement you must vote Guilty, Not Guilty, or Abstain by selecting the appropriate option.

Although the most common parallel people will make here is probably 1985, the thing that kept popping up into my head for some reason was Shutter Island. In watching Shutter Island you’re left to wonder about (cast judgement on) both the characters and the institution in question.

A similar dilemma is presented here in masterful fashion. Like the movie, it makes you question what you’ve seen and know, rather than spoon-feeding you an answer. This provides greater mystery and tension, making your decision as a juror even more difficult and important.

It could be in the form of an extended story, or distinct new cases, but I want more from this world. Whether my wish comes true or not though, do yourself (and possibly the defendant) a favor and check it out!

2. The Sacred Ordinary Things of a Day by Brian McFadden

This is a short one that packs a big punch, which it seems like is a style of Brian’s from what I’ve seen so far. If quick, poetic reads are up your alley, follow the link.

This one in particular though is what I’d refer to as, “so Medium,” which I mean in the best way. Like most articles on Medium, it address the distractions/trivialities of the world which hold us back (and also keep us centered). However, the delivery of its message is well-crafted and will make you re-read.

“Everything will interrupt you soon enough.”

Lines like the above resonate most with me. There are so many distractions in our world today, making the kind of focus necessary to reach “awareness” and/or “enlightenment” all the more difficult to maintain. It’s an interesting take he goes on to offer too, about how our daily rituals hold us together despite those distractions!

3. Thoughts on… Dating Another Artist by Gustavo Mendez

There is a trend with Medium which seems to be most lifestyle articles converging into a focus on general productivity or something along those lines. It seems what can get lost in the fold at times is the writer’s personal experience, which should be what gives them the authority to discuss in the first place. In the case of “Thoughts on…” Gustavo keeps it real. REAL real.

“Seeing someone be happy makes them attractive. Seeing them create makes them that much more attractive. Being with that person? You’re gonna need an extra pair of dry boxers (or panties).”

In all seriousness though, this had been a lifestyle topic I personally was wondering about. As a single creative, you start to wonder if a non-self professed creative would be able to appreciate your passion with the same depth you do. Would they give you the time you need to satisfy your itch when it comes demanding you scratch it?

What Mendez does a great job here is showing both the pros and cons. The majority of things in life are not black and white — nothing is 100% better than another, especially in art and lifestyle. It is nice though, to see what it’s like to both have and be a muse.

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QOTD: after checking out each piece, which resonated with you most and why?

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

Hostiles Movie Review: A Beautifully Gray Western

This past weekend I took a trip to the movie theater to see Hostiles, starring Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. While I’m a fan of the western genre in general, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film. The trailers didn’t give much away–which I suppose is a good thing. Nonetheless, having seen many hit-or-miss films lately, I went in with tempered expectations. Now able to say I was pleasantly surprised, here is my Hostiles movie review.

Summary (IMDB)

In 1892, a legendary Army captain (Christian Bale) reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief (Wes Studi) and his family through dangerous territory. A long history between the two impacts how they will handle the journey ahead.

3 Great Things, 1 Improvable Thing

Great: Gray Morality

This is the first on my list for a reason. I’m a firm believer that our stories occur on a micro basis. As much as we tend to lump groups of people together, our individual experiences are just that. For this reason I found it extremely refreshing to see the propensity to do both good and bad within each character.

Game of Thrones was the first show to really plant the seed of this idea in my head. Especially in the case of the Lannisters, we see the line between antagonist and protagonist blurred in a realistic way. For example, where Jamie can be an incestuous, brutal combatant, at times we see a softer side to him too (Tyrion and Brienne).

In ‘Hostiles,’ essentially all characters have blood on their hands, Americans and Natives alike. Over time the “protagonist” characters are the ones who come to accept there is a reason for the other side’s hatred. They learn the only way to right the wrongs is to move forward, past a dark time when attack and subsequent revenge is all there was.

And maybe you believe one side is more warranted than the other and that’s fine. The point of this story is shouting about it or pretending to be superior doesn’t make you part of the solution. The people involved don’t move forward unless they come together the way the Army captain and Cheyenne chief do. In the end, their initial reluctance and mutual redemption is what truly advances society. This in clear in the captain’s final decision in the film.

Great: Relentless Action

The extent of intense action to me is a balancing act which depends on the overall purpose. Plenty of books/movies/shows employ a ton of violence which serves little-to-no purpose in moving the story they are trying to tell forward. In this movie though, the violence WAS the story.

It certainly isn’t designed for the faint of heart. The first sequence of the movie in particular is tough to watch. However, this same scene ended up being one of my favorites because it sets the tone and sends a message: no one is safe in this world. Suddenly, we don’t see the actions of misguided, violent enemies as cruel, but defensive. This helps to further establish the above grayness and makes us feel the inner-struggle the characters do with each passing battle.

Great: Character Growth, Man V. Himself

It’s hard to say any specifics here without spoilers, but the growth from beginning to end of the movie are what made it great. Two particularly noteworthy performances of great characters came from Rosamund Pike and Rory Cochrane. Both portrayed the pain of loss in a believable way. More importantly though, both move through the stages of grief powerfully over the course of the story.

As mentioned above, their transformations through experience are what ultimately lead to an understanding with those who were previously sworn enemies. This is, again, what moves us forward as people

Improvable: Pacing

My only real gripe with this movie was it felt kind of long because of how many mourning scenes there were. A lot of people die and they do good job of making us care about each one. Additionally, I understand the point is to drill into us loss is a regular occurrence for them which doesn’t get any easier to stomach. However, there are enough scenes of utter heartbreak to remove or alter some of the extended mourning for lesser deaths.

On the other hand, some choices of what-to-show v. not-to-show were great. I think the decisions overall showed how focused the writers were on the characters themselves and I love that most about this movie.

So if you like a western, if you want to see a movie with a message as relevant to the past as the present, if you can appreciate story-appropriate violence, I highly recommend you hit up a theater to see this one!

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QOTD: Who’s your favorite all-time example of a “gray” character and why? Let me know below 🙂

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

Peaky Blinders Season 4: The Right Kind of Pivot (Risk)

The most recent post I published before this one discussed all the issues I had with Star Wars: ‘The Last Jedi.’ The movie’s focus was to serve as a major point of transition (pivot) from old Star Wars to new Disney Star Wars. It was a risk Rian Johnson took for sure and risk is great in art. However, the execution was anything but great in my opinion, as I have outlined before. Meanwhile, on BBC, Peaky Blinders season 4 was also one of transition and risks taken. The difference was the execution here was fantastic. Here’s why.

Also, there will be no spoilers in this post, by the way. All concepts discussed will be high level.

About the Show

Peaky Blinders is a great new organized crime series available to binge on Netflix. It features a gangster family in Post-WWI Birmingham, England. The brothers of the Shelby family have returned from the war as changed men. Their time in the service has shaken them to their core due to the post-traumatic stress of trench warfare. With a new outlook on life–if a much bleaker one–their new mission is now to grow their rag-tag gang into a respectable organization. To give you an idea of how far they have to go, the name of their gang stems from a practice of sowing razor blades (“blinders”–I’ll let you infer why) into the brim of their caps (“peaky”).

Big names like Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Tom Hardy, and Adrien Brody are at their best in this series. However, lesser-known faces like Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, and Joe Cole also emerge in a big way. On top of this, the writing is brilliant overall.

One of the aspects of writing I appreciate the most in general, character development, is a clear emphasis. Creator Steve Knight allows us to really grow with the Shelby family as their story unfolds. One of my personal favorites in this regard is Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson), who’s pain you feel as he struggles to battle the demons of post-war civilian life. We can’t possibly understand the horrors of the trenches, but Anderson and Murphy both help us visualize the resulting pain.

What I Loved About Season 4

First off, adding Adrien Brody as Italian-mafia-rival-out-for-revenge Luca Changretta, was a fun wrinkle. Some might have questioned the Brando-esque accent, but I thought Brody was menacing either way.

That being said, what was really great was how Thomas Shelby’s struggle with Luca led to two things:

  1. A greater appetite for risk taking – more so than any other season, it really felt like no one was safe. Even the most loved of characters are on the knife’s edge here and the tension is fantastic. Can’t go into much more detail without spoilers, but watch and you’ll see what I mean.
  2. A backdrop for change – when you want a story and the characters within it to transition, they should be given a reason to NEED transition. The run in with Luca Changretta was just that for the Shelby family. While Thomas has continuously shifted toward a legitimate business over time, the threats involved with not doing so were clear and present thanks to Luca. The direction the story goes at the end of season 4 because of him is even more exciting to me. A new chapter has certainly begun!

Thanks for reading and hope you’re enjoying the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

How Black Mirror Reminded Me of Civilands: Charles Langston

Black Mirror is a TV series which always manages to make you wonder. The ‘what-if’ scenarios presented in this re-imagined Twilight Zone range from twisted to trippy to hopeful and back.

Civilands, my own dark-fiction adventure series, isn’t nearly as tech-driven and modern as this show. However, there was a parallel I couldn’t help but reflect on. What is this common bond you might ask? The characters Robert Daly (Jessie Plemons), of the episode USS Callister, and, “Mayor of Harran,” Charles Langston.

Black Mirror parallels to Civilands.

Robert Daly

Robert is a genius coder and co-founder of the game Infinity, a virtual-reality version of his favorite TV show, Star Fleet. The show (equivalent of Star Trek) involves classic space adventures which are carried over into the game. However, Daly’s role in his company is diminishing, due to his being at odds with his partner and CEO, Walton. Along with setting deadlines Robert doesn’t feel he can make, Walton also connects better with the other people in the office. Some of those employees are hardly even aware of Robert’s role as founder.

Charles Langston

As he tells the people of Harran, Charles was designated the Mayor of the small town by governing forces in the cities of Eastern Duresia. No one knows the comings and goings of Harran better than Charles. Whether it is the history, people, or environment, he’ll have an answer. He also claims to know what’s best for its future, having guided it for so many years and seeing its people grow as a community. Moving to the Murrieta Territory was the best thing he thinks ever happened to him, because of his position.

Why are they similar?

The above section is mostly from their own point of view. In reality, both characters are bastards.

  1. Anti-social – If you’re at odds with everyone, I imagine it’s probably something like 95% of the time your own fault. That’s both of these characters. At his company, no one is aware of Robert’s position because he makes no effort to make it known. Not only that, but he is also impolite and straight up steals their DNA, which is totally uncool. As for Charles it’s much the same. No one in his town respects or acknowledges his position as mayor. The problem is, he doesn’t make any effort to earn their respect either.
  2. Delusional – If these were ranked by importance to the stories, this would be #1. The opinion Robert has of himself makes me question whether new-hire, Annette Cole, is actually even saying nice things to him at the beginning. She is in awe of him and the genius of his code, but it almost feels like we’re in his own head when he reacts to it. He almost certainly tells himself these things on a daily basis. In Charles’ case, he was actually never even designated mayor. In fact, there are no formal “governing forces” in Duresia at the time of his settlement in the Murrieta, let alone ones that delegate positions in this separate territory. Since the people of Harran certainly never elected him, he truly has no claim at all to the title.

More about Black Mirror

Moving past the similarities of these two characters, I highly recommend Black Mirror for a binge-watching session. It’s not for the faint of heart or those who don’t wish to be challenged mentally while watching a TV show. The concepts are meant to make you think and typically not in a comfortable way. However, this makes for some great episodes which are also relevant to our ever-changing society.

Thanks for reading and hope you’re enjoying the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!